Proos: Michigan’s Peace of Mind registry now online

LANSING, Mich. — Sen. John Proos on Friday reminded Southwest Michigan residents that they can now ensure their health care wishes are accessible to loved ones and health care providers, no matter where they travel in the United States.

“As Michigan’s senior population grows, we must ensure that we continue to meet their needs with simple services that enable them to live healthy, happy and independent lives,” said Proos, R-St. Joseph. “One way we have helped is creating the Michigan Peace of Mind registry. I supported creating this registry — the first of its kind in the country — so that residents can make important personal choices in advance and have the true peace of mind that their health care wishes will be known and honored.”

Residents can visit the Michigan Peace of Mind registry website at: www.mipeaceofmind.org. The site offers information on this free and secure database as well as answers to frequently asked questions and links to resources.

On the site, people can set up an account and store their advance directives online. These legal documents allow individuals to specify their patient advocates, religious preferences and other decisions about their future health care ahead of time.

“It is unfortunate that an illness or injury may leave any individual — and especially an older person — unable to make important health care decisions,” Proos said. “Michigan’s Peace of Mind registry marks a substantial improvement in ensuring that loved ones and doctors will have access to the critical and extremely personal decisions regarding end-of-life and health care decisions when it is necessary.”

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services oversees the registry, but it was developed and is maintained through financial support from the Michigan Gift of Life Foundation.